River Ripple's Mission
by The Puppy of Fluffy
Summary: Another group of newcomers arrives at the forest and ask for directions from River Ripple. But when they travel through the forest to get to their destination, they run directly into Clear Sky's camp.
1. Chapter 1

River Ripple sat on his island, staring at the water. The sun shined on the river and he could see his reflection.

"Damn," River Ripple commented," I am handsome!" A small splash made him redirect his gaze, and he launched a paw in the water.

When it resurfaced, a minnow landed on the sand. River Ripple sliced it with his claws, killing it fast so it did not suffer.

He tore into the little flesh there was, enjoying the fresh taste.

River Ripple was a find cat, well respected, well minded, and well looking. He had recently helped his moor friends with finding some kits stolen from their mother, but she had died on the thunderpath. He had felt grief, and worry for his friend Gray Wing, one of the first cats of the mountains that he met. She had been his mate.

He got to his paws and padded into his little clearing. He settled in his nest. It was neatly placed among the tall reeds.

He curled up in and closed his eyes. The sound of the waves splashing against the shore and rocks of the island comforted him. Such conflict they have brought, he thought, remembering the mountain cats' arrival.

Sleep came and with it dreams. Dreams of horror and hatred, battle and blood...

He jerked awake. He could spot shadows on the other side of the river. He sniffed the damp air.

Rogues, he thought. He didn't recognized them. He hadn't heard of more new cats, perhaps they were passing through. I'd better warn them to stay off the forest, River Ripple thought.

The forest was controlled by a greedy cat who set up 'borders.' The idea was insane, but River Ripple knew the cat had power, and a band of rogues.

"Hey!" River Ripple called over. The cats turned, and froze. They unfrozen as they saw him." Hello!" They yowled back.

The cats leaped into the river, and swam to the island. "You cats can swim?" River Ripple meowed surprised. He hadn't seen many cats that could swim like him. They shook their pelts. He could seem them clearly now.

A silver furred she-cat with blue eyes, a slick, brown tom, and a strong black tom with long sharp claws. River Ripple felt uneasy with him, but he remained calm.

"Who are you?" He asked." What are you doing here, I've never seen you before." He sniffed them, they seemed to have done a lot of traveling, dust all over their pelts and scratches suggested they weren't knew to the idea of fighting other cats.

"We are just passing through," the she-cat spoke." I am Shooting Star." The brown tom stepped forward.

"I am Worm Hole," he meowed. River Ripple laughed at the name, but it suited his pelt. The strong black tom stood tall." I am Night Sky."

"I am River Ripple," he bowed his head." Would you like to stop to eat? There is plenty for everyone." He padded to his clearing and signaled for the others to follow with his tail.

They looked around, and Worm Hole noticed a specific area of dirt was stained in white." What's that?" He asked.

River Ripple hurried over and pushed him away." None of your concern, thats what," he snapped.

They all settled beside a little pile of fish. River Ripple always kept extra incase the fish stopped swimming downstream one day.

"So, where do you come from?" River Ripple asked. The newcomers ate rudely, chewing with their mouthes open, and spitting out the genitals, the best part!

"We travel, don't live anywhere," Shooting Star meowed through a mouthful of minnow.

"Why not?" River Ripple was interested why they didn't settle for a home, he couldn't imagine not having a home. The island was all he had beside his good looks and swimming skills.

"Our home was taken by the dragon Smaug," said Worm Hole.

"Really?"

"No," laughed Worm Hole." We like to see new places, explore the world." He stretched and gazed at the stars." This world is so big."

"Too big," added Shooting Star." We've seen so much."

"Wouldn't you like to settle down and live some place?" River Ripple meowed." You know, a place to call home, a place to raise kits and attach to, a place where you belong."

"I don't know." They all meowed at the once. River Ripple just nodded. They all finished eating and began to make new nests. They all kept close to the center of the island, acting unsure about the water even though they were excellent swimmers.

"My mother drowned in a river," Worm Hole meowed." My father drowned trying to save her, and the rest of my family kind of followed in."

River Ripple felt a pang of sympathy. He rested his tail on the young tom's shoulder." I'm sorry," he meowed." I'm over it."

Sleep engulfed the group like a wave lapping on the shore. River Ripple's violent dreams raged on. A battle, a dark battle, but a new dream came as well. The newcomers and the island, and something else, something worse-

"River Ripple!" Night Sky's voice made him jerk awake. He looked at the black tom." Can you show us the way out of here?"

"Sure."

They all ate quickly and swam across the river. They crossed the moor, and River Ripple wondered what his neighbors would be up to. He gazed into the forest, was Clear Sky in there, planning an attack?

"We're being watched," commented Shooting Star. She flicked her tail and he saw two sets of eyes watching them. They paced faster until they were out of sight.

"Where do you wish to go?" River Ripple asked the travelers.

"We heard something interesting is going on in the other side of twolegplace," meowed Worm Hole." We figured it'd be faster to cross this way."

River Ripple scanned the area. Wondering what route to take.

"Yes," he heard Shooting Star meow." Because we knew how dangerous it would be to trek twolegplace."

"Yeah," River Ripple muttered. He remembered Turtle Tail's body on the Thunderpath. He gazed back at the near by hollow. Was Gray Wing still grieving?

He pushed the thought away." We must travel through the forest."

"Lets go!" Night Sky marched into the trees.

"No!" Meowed River Ripple." Be careful, it is dangerous."

"Why?" Asked Worm Hole, eyes wide." Badgers? Foxes? Dogs?"

"Cats, plenty of them. They patrol the forest and kill any cat who isn't in their group," he warned.

"Cats?" Shooting Star asked." They aren't a threat when there is four of us. Now come on, lets go!"

River Ripple followed hesitantly, somewhere in there, Clear Sky must lay in wait...


	2. Chapter 2

Under the trees, there was hardly any sunlight. River Ripple struggled through harsh underbrush. He was good at swimming in the smooth river, but here it seemed as though everywhere he walked a thorn waited.

"Try looking at the ground," Shooting Star suggested noticing his struggles. He turned his head to the forest floor. Now, he could see where he placed his paws.

"Thank you," he meowed. He didn't know much of the forest. He usually just sat on his island, but ever so often he wondered the moor.

They kept walking. River Ripple felt that his mouth was dry. He spotted a stream up ahead and padded over to it. Dipping his head he lapped up water.

" Trespassers!" Suddenly, a great weight landed on his flank. He fell on the ground and saw a flash of gray and white fur.

He felt claws tear into him. He struggled to throw off his attacker, but Worm Hole heaved him off. Looking around he saw Shooting Star was fighting a gray tom. Night Sky was on the ground with a tortoiseshell tom.

Clear Sky's cats! Thought River Ripple. Another cat joined the skirmish and tackled Worm Hole.

River Ripple returned to his opponent, who was about to pounce on him.

"Stop!" River Ripple tried to stop the fighting." Stop!" But the cats didn't listen. The gray and white tom landed on his head and began clawing at him. He rolled over and threw him off.

If they could not talk, they'd have to fight. River Ripple swiped at the tom, but he ducked and lunged in his chest, knocking him backward.

"Get out of the forest!" The gray tom spat." Never," replied Night Sky.

The gray tom pinned River Ripple to the ground and bit his hind leg. Pain gripped him and he tried to struggle free, but couldn't.

These cats were made for fighting. They seemed to know where and when a claw would flick, and how to react. Like'd they'd practiced, thought River Ripple.

At once all of them were circled by the cats. Exhausted and unable to fight, River Ripple and his new found friends surrendered.

"You put up a fight," the gray tom snarled." He padded up to them and hissed.

"The river cat," said the tortoiseshell cat." And some new rogues."

"They seemed like they knew how to fight," meowed the gray and white tom." We should take them to Clear Sky."

"We'll never go with you," Shooting Star snarled. They circled them, and she nipped the gray tom on his leg, but he swiped her head with his paw.

The cats made it clear, they were going to Clear Sky. Oh no, thought River Ripple. This is the worst possible thing that could happen- and whats that? My pelt is ruined?

They padded through the forest in silence, strong winds were beginning to sweep through the forest. The sun was setting.

I'm missing my daily nap, thought River Ripple. I need my beauty sleep!

They arrived at Clear Sky's camp. Surrounded by trees, little nest scattered around, and a rock near the back edge. On it stood Clear Sky himself.

"Leaf!" Called the white tom. What have you got with you?" He pointed with his tail to the gray and white tom.

"Some new rogues," Leaf meowed." We found them trespassing."

"They were pretty skillful at fighting," the gray tom added." We'd thought we'd bring them in."

"Why?" Asked Clear Sky." Why bring them in, Nettle? Was it your idea, you and Fircone?" He pointed at the tortoiseshell cat.

"No."

"How can I trust you two after-"

"It was me," Leaf meowed.

"Shut up, Leaf," Clear Sky snapped turning his head to him." Don't interrupt."

"Don't let him make you his bitch!" Worm Hole meowed. "What?" Clear Sky leaped off his rock and faced the brown tom." Would you like me to slit your-"

"Clear Sky?" A young white she cat meowed." Can we talk?"

"Falling Feather," Clear Sky turned again." What did I just say about interrupting?"

"You said-"

"You said not to to Leaf, not Falling Feather," meowed a black tom answered." Shut up! Prisoner!" Clear Sky snapped.

"You tell him, Clear Sky!" A cat meowed. More voices joined in and it grew louder. River Ripple looked at Shooting Star, and she looked Wormhole, him at Night Sky. Maybe they could sneak out.

"Everyone shut the hell up!" Clear Sky was yowling to get everyone quiet." Worthless cats!"

River Ripple took a few paces back, but Clear Sky stopped him." You're not going anywhere," he snarled." Well Jackdaw's Cry, looks like you have inmates."


	3. Chapter 3

River Ripple sat against an old oak tree. Shooting Star pushed against Night Sky for protection, while Worm Hole lived up to his name and dug a nest.

Always two cats were watching them, Petal and Quick Water. The two she-cats padded away to the lump of fresh-kill and settled to eat.

"Now what?" Asked Worm Hole peeking out of his hole." How do we get out of here?"

"I don't know," River Ripple flicked his tail. The exit was always guarded during the day, but at night-no, he thought.

"Clear Sky knows exactly what happens in this camp, and when." Shooting Star looked up at the light gray cat. His pelt seemed to glow white in the sunlight. The brutal leader was grooming himself.

"Maybe if we distract them all?" Suggested Night Sky. River Ripple shook his head. Any cat would be shredded in a second who faced all of these cats. But maybe it could work.

He looked at a stream that ran through the camp. Cats were drinking from it. Leaf put his paw in it and slipped.

"Ah!" He cried." I hate water."

Water! River Ripple thought. "The river!" He exclaimed." If I lead them to the river and swim across, they won't be able to catch me."

"Yeah," Shooting Star agreed." That's it!" Her eyes lit up. But Night Sky disagreed." They would have to leave some cats behind with us."

"And what about Jackdaw's Cry?" Worm Hole added." We can't just leave him here."

River Ripple knew they both were right. But he had a solution." If there is not as many cats, you can just sneak out," he meowed." But you'll have to do it at night.

"How do we get past the she-cats?" Questioned Worm Hole.

"I'll send them flying," Night Sky snarled, a growl was rising in his throat." I'll slow them down while Worm Hole and Shooting Star head for twolegplace. I'll have to catch up."

"Yes." River Ripple meowed. They had a plan. At midnight, under the full the moon, they'd make their escape.

The full moon arrived. All of Clear Sky's cats were huddle around him for some reason. Even Jackdaw's Cry.

"Go now," River Ripple meowed. He leaped from his nest and yowled." Come get me!" All of the cats turned to face him and he ran. He noted that Leaf, Fircone, Nettle, Falling Feather, and Quick Water were bolting behind him.

He leaped over a root, and skidded a rock. But without warning, he tripped.

He felt Leaf's breath on his tail and he sped up. Seeing the river, he leaped onto the moor and raced over the smooth ground.

At last, he dived in the water. The cold of the night stunned his pelt, but he forced on.

"Fish face!" He heard an angry yowl." Come on, we don't want to be late." The cats hurried into the trees.

At his island, he settled in his nest, exhausted. He took a little nap, woke up, ate, and realized something. The travelers! Did they escape safely?

He hadn't had a chance to make sure they ran after he bolted out of the camp.

"I've got to find them!" He told himself. Swimming across the river, he padded onto the moor and headed into the forest. He smelled something... Blood! Blood!

He could smell Clear Sky and his cats... But something else... Something familiar. A she-cat's yowl broke the air.

"Shooting Star!" He called. He pelted through the forest until he reached four giant oak trees. He skidded to a halt, astonished. He saw Gray Wing, Clear Sky, Petal, Fircone, Leaf, Nettle and many more unfamiliar cats. Dead bodies lied everywhere.

River Ripple saw: The First Battle.


End file.
